THEIR last encounter ended in an infamous finger-jabbing, arm waving, sweary spat on the Emirates touchline.

But Kenny Dalglish has jumped to the defence of beleaguered Arsene Wenger as the two veteran managers lock horns once again this afternoon.

While Liverpool have enjoyed a summer of a new arrivals and new momentum, the opposite at Arsenal has left Wenger feeling the heat for perhaps the first time during his trophy-laden 15-year tenure at the club.

The long-anticipated departure of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona eventually transpired this week, while Samir Nasri is expected to leave for Manchester City.

Having stuttered to a fiery opening-day goalless draw at Newcastle United – leading to suspensions this afternoon for the sole major summer arrival, Gervinho, and Alex Song – the debate is already raging whether Wenger, six years without silverware, should move on.

For Dalglish, it’s nonsense.

“There’s other countries where the manager could have gone in pre-season! You’re not safe are you?” says the Liverpool manager.

“You just have to get on with it. There’s plenty of stories that don’t make sense, of managers losing their jobs, the timing of it and the length of time they’ve been in it.

“Arsene has had some criticism recently, but it’s very seldom that managers are praised. He has been fantastic for that football club. That doesn’t exempt you from criticism, but it’s something people should remember.

“He has always been a fantastic seller of players. Petit, Overmars, Henry, Vieira, Anelka. He has sold brilliantly.

“He has also got the best value for his club when they needed help financially. If Arsene was good for them then, plus he was bringing in trophies, then the only thing missing now is the trophies.”

Of course, Wenger is in danger of being damned by his own words. Last month, the Frenchman declared that when a team starts selling its best players, it can no longer be seen as a big club.

Dalglish, though, takes a different view, given Liverpool’s recent experience of replacing Fernando Torres with the likes of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

“Arsene Wenger said that, I didn’t,” says the Scot. “Arsenal are a fantastic football club that have been fantastically entertaining over the years that he has been the manager.

“Whatever Arsene’s opinions are, he’s entitled to them. Everybody does what they think is best.

“What other clubs do doesn’t affect us until we play them. On Saturday we play against Arsenal. They have lost Fabregas, look like they are using Nasri and have a couple suspended. But it will still be a difficult game.

“I don’t have any doubt about my players’ mental state going to Arsenal. They know they are going to a difficult place for a hard game. It’ll be even more difficult if we go there expecting it to be not difficult.”

Liverpool secured a dramatic 1-1 draw on their last visit to the Emirates in April, when Dirk Kuyt’s 112th-minute spot kick leveller caused Wenger to vent his fury towards Dalglish, who in no uncertain terms told him his opinion was wrong.

The altercation was beamed live on television, but the Liverpool manager says: “We shook hands after the game and on the pitch but they never showed that on television. We had a chat after the game as well. I’ve never had a problem with Arsene and I wouldn’t ever anticipate one.”

Lucas Leiva believes possession will be key to Liverpool securing their first-ever win at the Emirates.

“Arsenal like to pass the ball, they have a lot of possession,” says the Brazilian. “They have been fighting for titles for a few years but they couldn’t win. For sure this season they are going to be strong and it will be a tough game.

“It’s always difficult to stop these kind of players. Barcelona is also a team that likes to pass and at the moment no one can stop them.

“We just have to make sure you have a good shape and play with a lot of determination. You try to have the ball. If you have the ball they won’t be able to pass between you.”

As well as being Arsenal’s home stadium since 2006, the Emirates is a European base for Brazil’s national team.

And Lucas adds: “I’ve played many times at the Emirates with Brazil and Liverpool. It’s a fantastic stadium and the atmosphere is very good. It’s a nice place to come back to and of course I’ll try to feel at home.”

Arsenal have been difficult opponents for Liverpool in recent years, having not won on their last 11 league visits to the Gunners.

Indeed, the Anfield outfit have kept only one clean sheet in their last 28 meetings with the Londoners, with their last victory at Arsenal way back in February 2000 when Titi Camara scored the only goal.

However, two likely starters today, Jose Enrique and Andy Carroll, were both on the winning side at the Emirates for Newcastle United last season.

Enrique was perhaps Liverpool’s most impressive debutant in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland last week, having signed just 24 hours earlier.

And Dalglish admits the club needed to move quickly to bring in a left-back.

“We had one but Fabio got injured,” he says. “We had young Jack Robinson who is only 17 but has a real good chance.

“It would have been totally irresponsible to expect a 17-year-old boy to play all season. So we had to get another left-back in. We are fortunate that we have got someone in who knows the league.

“Jack will not be far away from the first team squad for the whole season. But it is a lot to ask for a wee boy who is still growing and developing. We don’t want to blow their heads off.”